


The Nightmare Before Halloween

by DebbieF



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Gen, Involves a semi-aware sixe year old Daniel Jackson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-31
Updated: 2013-10-31
Packaged: 2017-12-31 01:39:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1025779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DebbieF/pseuds/DebbieF
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Halloween challenge done for one of my writing groups to involve any guardian of any downsized character in the Stargate world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Nightmare Before Halloween

  
“How many stores does that make now?” Jack felt like he had hit every dollar and party store in downtown Colorado.  
  
“You promised Danny,” Sam reminded him sharply.  
  
“I did?”  
  
Pulling him by the arm, Sam wondered how she got roped into this detail. Herding him toward their next destination, she pointed across the street.  
  
“Oh no!” Jack moaned. “Not that too!”  
  
“For Daniel,” She once again reminded him but more softly this time.  
  
“What I don’t do for that kid!”  
  
“What don’t we all do for him,” Sam laughed gently.  
  
Standing in front of the Halloween costume store, Jack gritted his teeth.  
  
“What’s yours going to be?” Sam was curious as to the costume he would pick out.  
  
“A colonel in the U.S. Air Force,” Jack snorted.  
  
“Sorry I asked.”  
  
“Guess I could always go as the scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz.”  
  
“Why him in particular?”  
  
“Because I feel a connection to him,” Jack waved a hand in the air. “He didn’t have any brains and apparently neither do I for agreeing to host this shindig.”  
  
Sam couldn’t stop laughing at his admission as tears ran down her face.  
  
“Ohforcryinoutloud!”  
  
“Let’s see what type of selection they have.” Sam held the door open for him and hoped she wouldn’t regret coming with him.  
  
++++  
  
*Later at the O’Neill House*  
  
“Jack, Jack!,” Daniel was so excited he started doing a little dance as he watched his friends carrying in lots of bags. “What did you get?”  
  
“We got tons of stuff for the party and costumes for Jack and myself,” Sam answered.  
  
“When do I get to pick out mine?”  
  
“Tomorrow’s Saturday, squirt,” Jack remarked tiredly. “We’ll go pick yours out then.”  
  
“What are you going as?” Danny hoped it was an interesting character.  
  
“The scarecrow from Oz.”  
  
“Sounds neat!” Swiveling his head toward Sam, he asked, “How about you?”  
  
“Catwoman.”  
  
“Wow! What’s Teal going to be?”  
  
“Frankenstein,” Jack announced in a ghoulish sounding voice.

  
Bending down to the boy’s level, Sam chucked Daniel under the chin. And what do you want to be, my little man?”  
  
“General of the SGC of course.” Though Daniel wasn’t quite sure of that one yet, because he didn’t relish shaving his head.  
  
“Uh, that’s a big job for a short fry like you,” Jack grinned.  
  
“Then what do you think I should dress up as?”  
  
“Thor.” Jack meant it as a joke but didn’t laugh because he could tell that Daniel was taking his suggestion seriously.  
  
“Would he get mad at me if I did?”  
  
“I doubt it,” Sam added and gave Daniel a gentle push toward the staircase. “Help me lug some of this into one of the guest rooms.” She could see the child’s worried face. “We’ll figure something out. I’m sure tomorrow you’ll find exactly what you want.”  
  
“You, Janet and Cassie are helping me out with this party next week, right?” Jack certainly hoped so. He could use the extra set of hands for decorating outside.  
  
“We wouldn’t leave you high and dry like that.”  
  
Grunting, Jack went in search of the babysitter to pay her before she left for home.  
  
++++  
  
*Night of the Party*  
  
“Gangs all here I see.” Jack watched as friends, neighbors and some personnel from the base filed through his door.  
  
“Daniel told me a few minutes ago how pleased he was at how many accepted their invitation,” Janet murmured. “Though I can’t see his expression through that Bart Simpson mask he has on.” She eyed Jack cooly.  
  
“Hey! All I did was push him in the general direction of the kid’s costumes at Wal-mart. He did the rest.” Jack was positive he heard her gentle snort as Janet left his side to go greet some more guests.  
  
“O’Neill,” a deep voice rumbled near Jack’s ear.  
  
Turning around, Jack came face to face with a huge figure dressed as Frankenstein. “Hey, big guy, or should I call you *Frankie*?”  
  
The green make-up obscured Teal’c’s facial expression, but he got his point across despite it. “I do not enjoy wearing these cosmetics.”  
  
“Theater make-up, that’s what it’s called, T.” Slapping the other man on the back, Jack said, “I think you look great!”  
  
“I believe you are shedding, O’Neill.”  
  
As Jack looked down, he could see he was missing some of his stuffing.  
  
“Don’t worry, Uncle Jack, I’ve got you covered.” Cassie picked all the straw that was on the ground and helped him re-stuff his costume.  
  
“Thanks, Cass.” He at least dodged that bullet. “Cool costume by the way.”  
  
“Glad you like it. I’m a Roaring Twenties flapper,” Cassie shimmied so the fringes of her dress danced about.  
  
“Well flap toward Danny before Catwoman takes a bite out of him.”  
  
“That feline is Major Carter?” Teal’c asked.  
  
“Uh huh.” Jack smirked as he watched all the single, and maybe not so single men, gravitate toward her. He had to admit, in that skin tight outfit, Sam was a knockout.  
  
“What is a Catwoman?”  
  
“We’ve got to broaden your choice of TV material,” Jack laughed. “Yup! First chance I get I’ll find out when re-runs of the old Batman show are on.” He then left a very puzzled Jaffa in his wake.  
  
“Doesn’t Janet look cool, Jack?” Daniel had to push his mask up to drink his soda.  
  
“Always said she was a little devil in disguise.” Jack watched as Janet’s tail sashayed this way and that as she walked around making sure everyone had what they needed.  
  
“What’s General Hammond supposed to be?” Daniel couldn’t figure out the get up the older man wore.

  
“Julius Caesar,” Jack knew the boy had some gaps in his memory since his accidental downsizing. “I’ll fill ya in later.”  
  
“Okay.” Daniel had something else on his mind but was afraid to say anything to Jack yet.  
  
“Hey, Jacob!” Jack hailed the other man over. “Came as yourself I see.”  
  
“Funny, Jack, but yeah I did. Why not? I fit right in,” Jacob grinned. “A few people thought I was dressed as a wandering nomad. Which is nothing but the truth in a strange way though they don’t know that.”  
  
“You look like a character from Star Wars,” Daniel pointed out.  
  
“Thank you, Danny.” Jacob’s expression seemed pained as he turned toward Jack. “Bart Simpson... really?”  
  
“Not you too! Sheesh! Everyone’s a critic!”  
  
“Is that Siler and Walter over in the corner?” Jacob squinted his eyes to get a better view.  
  
“Siler makes a good zombie,” Daniel commented.  
  
“I like my men alive and sassy,” Janet strolled by putting her two cents in, swishing her tail at the men in fun and getting a mock growl in return from Jacob.  
  
“Is Walter a Hobbit?” Jacob wasn’t quite sure, he thought the costume seemed familiar.  
  
“He’s short enough,” Jack retorted. “What’s Selmac think of all this?”  
  
“The jury’s still out on that one,” Jacob laughed. “I’ve been trying to explain the concept to him on the way over here.” Looking around, he finally spotted his daughter. “She looks great as Catwoman.”  
  
Jack was wise enough not to respond to that fatherly announcement.  
  
“Who’s that over by the buffet table?” Jacob thought that the costume was perfect and that whoever made it had an eye for detail.  
  
“Uh, that’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you, Jack.” Daniel slid his mask back over his face. He couldn’t look his friend in the eye while he explained.  
  
But Jack wasn’t having any of that. He pushed the mask back up so he could stare back at the small, guilt ridden look that Daniel wore as the boy blinked up at him. “Who... is... it?”  
  
“Thor,” Daniel squeaked out as Jacob nearly spilled the contents of his drink. “Last time I was at the SGC with you and Thor was there, he mentioned to me that he wanted to study some of our customs and festivities,” Daniel stopped to take a breath, “so I told him about our party.” Seeing that he had stunned both men he quickly added, “He doesn’t even look out of place.”  
  
“God! If Hammond gets a load of...”  
  
“He has,” the general announced as he joined the small group. “I hope Thor is taking good notes. Most of the people here haven’t a clue what he truly is. For that, we should all be grateful.”  
  
“I told Thor to blend in,” Daniel whispered.  
  
“Ah, well. What’s one more alien or two among a houseful of freaks, ghouls, devils and catwomen,” Jack quipped lightly.  
  
“Uh, Jack,” Daniel tugged on a piece of straw that came out of his friend’s sleeve. “I think Thor brought along a few friends.”  
  
“Who?” General Hammond asked anxiously as he cast about for, well he actually didn’t know who he was looking for.  
  
“Tuplo and Leedora from the Land of Light and Gairwyn from Cimmeria.” Daniel had just spotted them a few minutes ago.  
  
“At least they’re local garb makes them seem as if they're already in costume,” General Hammond was slightly in shock over this turn of events. “I’ll just mosey on over to make sure national security isn’t jeopardized.”  
  
“Don’t worry, sir, Thor told me that he would have everything under control.” Daniel certainly hoped so for all their sakes. He didn’t remember all his time with Thor in the past but somehow knew that the alien kept his promises.  
  
George grinned down at the boy and went in search of the alien contingent that just landed in the middle of a Halloween party.  
  
“Oh oh!” Jacob sounded worried. “Does Thor seem tipsy to anyone, like that alien in E.T.”  
  
Seeing the tiny Asgard swaying back and forth was a sight to behold. “Looks like someone spiked the punch.” Jack scanned the crowed and spotted Lou trying to look inconspicuous and failing miserably as he was doing his own swaying.  
“Siler and Walter are escorting Thor to your den per the general’s orders,” Sam told Jack as she walked past the merry band. Holding two cups of black coffee in her hands, she smiled. “Here’s hoping this will help sober Thor up quickly.”  
  
“This I’ve got to see.” Jacob quickly followed his daughter.  
  
Watching her depart for the den, Jack groaned. “The nightmare before Halloween.”  
  
“Do you think coffee will have any effect on an Asgard?” Janet didn’t know whether to laugh or have hysterics.  
  
“Damned if I know,” Jack offered and winced. "I just hope he doesn't wake up in the morning with a humdinger of a headache."  
  
“Our other alien friends looked a little lost,” Janet observed. “Daniel, how about helping me put them at ease?”  
  
“Sure.” Taking Janet’s hand they joined them near the buffet table.  
  
Thinking it was a strange sight, Jack’s frown turned into a huge smile the more he thought about it. There was a tiny Bart Simpson and nearly as tiny red devil trying to explain the idea of Halloween to three visitors from other planets... only in Jack’s world.  
  
The End  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
